Hundreds of 'Boiled' Bats Fall from Sky in Australian Heat Wave

As temperatures rose to 111.5 degrees Fahrenheit (44.2 degrees Celsius) in Campbelltown in the Australian state of New South Wales, a colony of flying fox bats that lives near the town's train station felt the effects. Volunteers struggled to rescue the heat-stricken bats, according to the Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser, but at least 204 individual animals, mostly babies, died.

"They basically boil," Kate Ryan, the colony manager for the Campbelltown bats, told the newspaper. "It affects their brain — their brain just fries and they become incoherent." [Watch for Falling Iguanas! Bomb Cyclone Drops Frozen Lizards]

BAFTA 2018 nominations: 'Retired' Daniel Day-Lewis, Hugh Grant and Margot Robbie all up for gongs

 

The BAFTA Awards 2018 nominations have been announced this morning - and it's The Shape Of Water leading the way for a whopping 12 nominations.

Actresses Letitia Wright and Natalie Dormer announced the potential winners this morning in a live streamed press conference and revealed who could be in the running for a gong when the BAFTAs take place on February 18 at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

The other big surprise was the newly appointed host of the BAFTAs, Joanna Lumley, who takes over from Stephen Fry after ten years of him presenting the ceremony.

Here's who could be walking away next month with a weighty gong...

Ibuprofen linked to male infertility, study says

What is ibuprofen?
Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

Ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and treat pain or inflammation caused by many conditions such as headache, toothache, back pain, arthritis, menstrual cramps, or minor injury.

Ibuprofen is used in adults and children who are at least 6 months old.

Ibuprofen has a negative impact on the testicles of young men, a study published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found. When taking ibuprofen in doses commonly used by athletes, a small sample of young men developed a hormonal condition that typically begins, if at all, during middle age. This condition is linked to reduced fertility.

Advil and Motrin are two brand names for ibuprofen, an over-the-counter pain reliever. CNN has contacted Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, the makers of both brands, for comment.

Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac NOW! Apple issues update to protect users from 'Spectre' chip flaw

Apple has released an updated version of its operating system software to fix a major microchip security flaw that affected nearly all computer chips made in the last decade.
Last week, Alphabet Inc's Google and other security researchers disclosed two major chip flaws, one called Meltdown affecting only Intel Corp chips and one called Spectre, that left computing devices vulnerable to hackers.

'iOS 11.2.2 includes security improvements to Safari and WebKit to mitigate the effects of Spectre,' the firm said.
The technology giant also released software updates for its Mac, Apple TV and Apple Watch.

The iPhone maker had said on Thursday it will release a patch for the Safari web browser on its iPhones, iPads and Macs.
Apple had also said that there were no known instances of hackers taking advantage of the flaw.

'For our customers' protection, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available,' the company said on its website.
The iOS update is available for iPhone 5s and later, iPad Air and later, and iPod touch 6th generation, it said.

Apple told to take urgent action over dangerous smartphone addiction

Apple has been told to take urgent action to curb children's smartphone addiction, amid fears that technology could be damaging the young generation.

The warning from two shareholders comes amid increasing concerns about how gadgets and social media could affect the young children who use them, many of whom are attached to their phones for many hours a day.

Famous technologists including Steve Jobs have been reported to have been concerned about the effects of technology on their own children, limiting the amount their kids could use the internet and phones and tablets.

Saudi Arabia is giving many of its citizens $3000 for free

Saudi Arabia plans to give its citizens $13 billion (50 billion riyals) in handouts to offset the increasing costs of living.
State employees will receive monthly payments of 1,000 riyals (about $US266).
The government also announced plans to cut perks to royal family members, which angered members of Saudi's elites.

Saudi Arabia plans to give its citizens 50 billion riyals ($13 billion) in handouts to offset increasing costs of living, Reuters reported Sunday.

King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has ordered the government to pay out 1,000 riyals (about $266) to state employees each month in 2018.

11 dead after gun battle erupts outside Mexican beach resort popular with Brits

At least 11 people have been shot dead at a popular Mexican beach resort.

A gunfight broke out between residents and members of a local, self-appointed community police force on the outskirts of Acapulco.

The gun battle took place in the farming community of La Concepcion, after a young man was arrested for disorderly conduct during town festivities early on Sunday morning.

America's "most experienced astronaut" John Young dies from pneumonia at the age of 87

John Young, America's "most experienced astronaut" has died at the age of 87. In his prime, he had walked on the Moon during the Apollo program and commanded the first space shuttle mission.

In a statement from acting NASA Administrator Robert Lightfoot on the passing of John Young, who died on Friday night following complications from pneumonia, Young is the only agency astronaut to go into space as part of the Gemini, Apollo and space shuttle programs, and the first to fly into space six times:

“Today, NASA and the world have lost a pioneer. Astronaut John Young's storied career spanned three generations of spaceflight; we will stand on his shoulders as we look toward the next human frontier.

Here Are All the Winners From the 2018 Golden Globes

The 75th annual Golden Globes are a wrap!

The night's big winners included Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which took home best picture and best actress in a drama (Frances McDormand) as well as Big Little Lies, which won best television limited series or motion picture made for television and three acting prizes.

Oprah Winfrey accepts the 2018 Cecil B. DeMille Award during the 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 7, 2018 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Oprah Winfrey Promises 'A New Day Is on the Horizon' in Triumphant Golden Globes Speech
Check out the full list of winners below:

'Nobody will ever have to say Me Too again': Oprah reduces Golden Globes guests to tears with powerful speech

Oprah Winfrey used her Golden Globe lifetime achievement speech to issue a rallying cry as she begged both men and women to do what they could to ensure no one ever has to utter the words 'Me Too' again.
The actress and businesswoman received a lengthy standing ovation as she accepted the Cecil B. DeMille Award at Sunday's Globes ceremony, before saying how honored she was to be the first black woman to receive the accolade.
The 63-year-old spoke about the feelings she had as a young girl watching Sidney Poitier win the best actor Academy Award in 1964. 'It is not lost on me that, at this moment, there is some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given the same award,' Oprah said. 'It is an honour and it is a privilege to share the evening with all of them. I want all the girls watching that a new day is on the horizon.

Golden Globes blackout as stars take to red carpet dressed in black to protest Hollywood sex scandal

 
The Golden Globes red carpet is usually a parade of bright and bold fashions.

But this year's ceremony will be a much more muted affair as Hollywood's female stars unite in black dresses.

A host of A-listers, including Michelle Williams, Jessica Chastain and Sally Hawkins will sport colour-free gowns in protest of industry-wide sexual harassment.
  

2 women wounded in shooting outside west Houston cocktail lounge

Two bystanders were shot Saturday night outside a west Houston bar, authorities said.
An altercation inside the Bourbon St. Daiquiris Cocktail Lounge spilled out into the parking lot in the 12900 block of Westheimer just before midnight.
At least one person pulled out a gun and opened fire, hitting two women sitting inside a gray SUV, according to Houston police. The gunfire left their car with shattered windows and multiple bullet holes.

Here's How Alcohol Can Damage DNA and Increase Cancer Risk

Scientists think they know how alcohol damages DNA and increases the risk of cancer.

Researchers in England conducted the study in mice, however, experts say that the mechanisms linking alcohol to DNA damage are the same in mice and men. Indeed, earlier studies have shown strong links between alcohol and certain cancers in humans; in addition, the International Agency for Cancer Research classifies alcohol consumption as "carcinogenic to humans."

What wasn't clear, however, was how alcohol did its damage. [7 Ways Alcohol Affects Your Health]

The study, which was published Jan. 3 in the journal Nature, took a precise look at how exposure to alcohol, and the compounds that result when the body breaks down alcohol, cause damage to chromosomes in blood stem cells. These stem cells are crucial for replenishing cells lost throughout the life span, but once they are damaged, they can spread the damage further. (Stem cells can divide and replenish cells for long periods of time.)

Blurry vision, excess urination signs of diabetes

What is diabetes mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus is a disease condition in which there is a chronic rise in the level of blood glucose as a result of abnormal glucose (blood sugar) regulation, resulting from insulin deficiency or insulin poor performance. There are two types of diabetes, Type 1 and Type 2.

What are the differences between type 1 and type 2 diabetes?

Both types are characterised by abnormal elevated blood glucose (sugar) above the physiologically normal range. Type 1 results from destruction to insulin-producing cells (beta -cells of islet of Langerhans) of the pancreas. It also results from the low-level of insulin in the glucose-regulating hormone. It is also referred to as juvenile diabetes (common in children).

Explaining Meltdown with parallel worlds, libraries, and a bank heist

Security vulnerabilities are always tricky to explain. People are supposed to be scared of them, because their data could be compromised, but the very nature of security problems means they involve obscure technical details that we usually don’t have to think about at all.

So, enter the analogy. A number of fun, strange, possibly useful analogies have sprung up this week to try to explain the major Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities that Google has discovered. Like any analogy, they fall short of perfectly detailed explanation, and will typically break if you push them too far, but they can still be a helpful way to get a vibe for how these exploits actually work.
The best knowledge we have on how these exploits actually work, in gory technical detail, are the two PDFs published by Google which explain the Meltdown and Spectre attacks in research paper form.

Arsene Wenger to rotate Arsenal squad at Nottingham Forest in FA Cup gamble amid hectic fixture list

Arsene Wenger has admitted he will have to gamble on the FA Cup because of Arsenal’s figure pile-up.
Wenger says he plans to “rotate” his line-up at Nottingham Forest on Sunday but is expected to field a stronger team for the Carabao Cup semi final at Chelsea next Wednesday.
The FA Cup has been Wenger’s salvation during his Arsenal reign as he won it for a record seventh time in May and that helped him stay for another two year contract.
Wenger will have to hedge his bets at Forest and plans to use David Ospina in goal, hinted Ainsley Maitland-Niles might play in midfield and is likely to pick a mix-and-match XI similar to what he has done in the Europa League.

North and South Korea are starting to talk to each other again, but experts are skeptical of North Korea's motives

This week marked major developments in communications between North and South Korea, as the two countries plan to meet for the first time in two years.
Many hope the talks will help both sides resolve their differences.
Still, experts are skeptical about the possibility of any meaningful, long-term impact.

This week marked major developments in relations between North and South Korea, and many are hopeful that it means peace and cooperation are on the horizon in the Korean Peninsula.

In his first state address of 2018, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un announced he was open to dialogue with South Korea, and urged easing military tensions on the Korean Peninsula, even as he issued new threats to the US.

'World's most expensive vodka' found on Danish building site

A stolen bottle of vodka thought to be the world's most expensive at $1.3m (£960,000) has been found empty on a construction site, Danish police say.
The bottle, made from gold and silver and with a diamond encrusted cap, was on loan to a Copenhagen bar which had a collection of vodkas on display.
CCTV released on Wednesday showed an intruder, who grabbed the Russo-Baltique vodka and fled the bar.
The bottle was found unbroken on a construction site in the city.
"I don't know what happened with the vodka, but the bottle was empty", Riad Tooba, spokesman for the Copenhagen police, told AFP news agency.

Bipolar Disorder & How A Marriage Counselor Can Help Your Relationship

Bipolar disorder is a mental illness marked by extreme shifts in mood, from high to low. This condition is also called bipolar disease or manic depression.

People with bipolar disorder may have trouble managing everyday life tasks, at school or work, or maintaining relationships. There is no cure, but there are many treatments that can help you manage the symptoms.

SYMPTOMS
What are the symptoms?

Girl asks her taxi driver to livestream her committing suicide and he does it (video)

A distressing footage showing an 18-year-old girl committing suicide has gone viral after it was livestreamed by her taxi driver.

The teenager, whose name is given as Ms. Nittaya Sawatdiwan, took a taxi to the Rama 8 bridge then asked her taxi driver to stop and help livestream the suicide. The taxi driver, Pattharadanai Noomarinart obliged and filmed the young woman as she climbed the railing of the bridge and jumped off it, into the Chao Phraya river in Thailand.

Mary J Blige to be honoued with 'Star' on Hollywood Walk Of Fame next week

Mary J. Blige will be receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at a ceremony scheduled to take place on Jan. 11 at 6201 Hollywood Blvd. in front of Eastown. Sean “Diddy” Combs will join Hollywood Chamber president and CEO Leron Gubler to unveil the star.
“Mary J. Blige is one of the most popular singers of our generation. Fans will be thrilled to see her star on the Boulevard as her career milestones are celebrated on this very famous sidewalk,” said Ana Martinez, producer of the Walk of Fame ceremonies.

California driver charged with single-punch murder of deputy

A 70-year-old, off-duty sheriff's deputy braked to avoid two dogs and was rear-ended by a driver who then got out and delivered a fatal punch, police said Wednesday in announcing a murder charge against the man.

The attack occurred on New Year's Eve and San Bernardino County sheriff's Deputy Lawrence Falce was taken off life support two days later.

Surveillance video from a nearby store captured the encounter, which lasted only about a minute.

After the fender-bender, Falce and a man police identified as Alonzo Leron Smith got out of their cars, exchanged words and motioned at each other. Smith then delivered a single punch to the face and Falce fell backward, his head hitting the pavement.

Dysfunctional Family: What It Is And What It’s Like To Grow Up In One

It seems almost everyone claims to be from a dysfunctional family. Sometimes, we blame our current problems on the family we grew up into the extent that we don't take responsibility for our actions. Some people are now growing up in a dysfunctional family or grew up in one in the past. How do you know whether family dysfunction is a serious problem for you? You can start exploring this issue by learning more about dysfunction in families and the effects of growing up in the turmoil of a family that doesn't work.

What Is a Dysfunctional Family?

A good way to begin your journey of self-discovery is to learn the definition. How is a dysfunctional family defined? If you were or are a part of a dysfunctional family, define it in your terms first. Because family problems that last for years come to seem normal, many people from dysfunctional families don't recognize what makes their family dysfunctional. They may know something is wrong, but what it is may seem unclear.
The Medical Dictionary of the Free Dictionary defines ' dysfunctional family' like this:

At least 7 Russian jets were reportedly destroyed in a mortar attack at a Syrian air base

At least seven Russian planes were destroyed by rebel shelling at the Hmeymim air base in Syria on Dec. 31, Russian daily Kommersant reported late on Wednesday, citing two sources.

In the single biggest loss of military hardware for Russia since it launched air strike in Syria in autumn 2015, more than 10 servicemen were wounded in the attack by "radical Islamists," the report said.

At least four Su-24 bombers, two Su-35S fighters and an An-72 transport plane, as well as an ammunition depot, were destroyed by the shelling, Kommersant said on its website, citing two "military-diplomatic" sources.

Here's when the 'bomb cyclone' will hit, how cold it will be, and how much snow will fall on the East Coast

A cold-weather 'bomb cyclone' is bearing down on the East Coast, bringing up to a foot of snow and bone-chilling temperatures across the region.
The storm is currently sitting off the coast of Florida and Georgia, and will work its way up the East Coast on Wednesday night and Thursday. New York City and Philadelphia are under a winter weather advisory starting at 1 a.m. on Thursday, while Boston is under a blizzard warning starting at the same time.
While snowfall is expected to grind traffic and air travel to a halt on Thursday, the bigger problem is the freezing temperatures set to descend on the region in the storm's wake. The circulation associated with the massive storm will drag frigid air sitting over Canada's Arctic south, plunging temperatures across the Northeast to below zero Farenheit.
Here's where the storm will hit where you live, and what to expect:
As of 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon, the storm was hanging out off the coasts of Florida and Georgia.